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English · Punctuation

Punctuate a fronted adverbial

Place the comma that separates a fronted adverbial from its main clause.

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Comma at the Front

This video shows how to find the fronted adverbial and place the comma that separates it from the main clause. Watch an 11+ English question solved step by step.

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Quick quiz: Punctuate a fronted adverbial

10 questions, with feedback after each one. No sign-up needed.

Read the questions in this quiz

  1. Question 1

    Sentence: "Although the map looked simple our walking group took the wrong path twice.". Keep "Although the map looked simple" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.Although the map looked simple our walking group took, the wrong path twice.
    • B.Although the map looked simple, our walking group took the wrong path twice.
    • C.Although the map looked, simple our walking group took the wrong path twice.
    • D.Although the map looked simple, our walking group, took the wrong path twice.

  2. Question 2

    Sentence: "While the storm raged outside the whole family crowded round the kitchen table.". Keep "While the storm raged outside" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.While the storm raged, outside the whole family crowded round the kitchen table.
    • B.While the storm raged outside, the whole family, crowded round the kitchen table.
    • C.While the storm raged outside, the whole family crowded round the kitchen table.
    • D.While the storm raged outside the whole family, crowded round the kitchen table.

  3. Question 3

    Sentence: "As the last bus pulled away my phone battery died in my hand.". Keep "As the last bus pulled away" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.As the last bus pulled away, my phone battery died in my hand.
    • B.As the last bus pulled away my phone battery died, in my hand.
    • C.As the last bus pulled away, my phone battery, died in my hand.
    • D.As the last bus pulled, away my phone battery died in my hand.

  4. Question 4

    Sentence: "Although nobody had practised our relay team won by half a length!". Keep "Although nobody had practised" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.Although nobody had practised, our relay team won by half a length!
    • B.Although nobody had, practised our relay team won by half a length!
    • C.Although nobody had practised our relay team, won by half a length!
    • D.Although nobody had practised, our relay team, won by half a length!

  5. Question 5

    Sentence: "As the choir reached the chorus the church lights went out completely.". Keep "As the choir reached the chorus" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.As the choir reached the chorus, the church lights, went out completely.
    • B.As the choir reached the chorus the church lights went, out completely.
    • C.As the choir reached the, chorus the church lights went out completely.
    • D.As the choir reached the chorus, the church lights went out completely.

  6. Question 6

    Sentence: "While the storm raged outside the whole family crowded round the kitchen table.". Keep "While the storm raged outside" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.While the storm raged outside the whole family crowded, round the kitchen table.
    • B.While the storm raged outside, the whole family crowded round the kitchen table.
    • C.While the storm raged, outside the whole family crowded round the kitchen table.
    • D.While the storm raged outside, the whole family, crowded round the kitchen table.

  7. Question 7

    Sentence: "When the tide finally turned the fishing boats slipped out of the harbour.". Keep "When the tide finally turned" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.When the tide finally turned, the fishing boats slipped out of the harbour.
    • B.When the tide finally turned, the fishing boats, slipped out of the harbour.
    • C.When the tide finally turned the fishing boats slipped, out of the harbour.
    • D.When the tide finally turned the fishing boats slipped out of the harbour.

  8. Question 8

    Sentence: "When the tide finally turned the fishing boats slipped out of the harbour.". Keep "When the tide finally turned" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.When the tide finally turned, the fishing boats slipped out of the harbour.
    • B.When the tide finally turned the fishing boats slipped out of the harbour.
    • C.When the tide finally turned the fishing boats slipped, out of the harbour.
    • D.When the tide finally turned, the fishing boats, slipped out of the harbour.

  9. Question 9

    Sentence: "Although nobody had practised our relay team won by half a length!". Keep "Although nobody had practised" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.Although nobody had practised, our relay team won by half a length!
    • B.Although nobody had practised our relay team won by half a length!
    • C.Although nobody had, practised our relay team won by half a length!
    • D.Although nobody had practised, our relay team, won by half a length!

  10. Question 10

    Sentence: "Once the last guest had gone the empty hall felt twice as big.". Keep "Once the last guest had gone" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

    • A.Once the last guest had gone, the empty hall felt twice as big.
    • B.Once the last guest had gone the empty hall felt, twice as big.
    • C.Once the last guest had gone, the empty hall, felt twice as big.
    • D.Once the last guest had, gone the empty hall felt twice as big.

Practise it now

Drop punctuation into the gaps, then press Read it! and watch what the reader does.

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A worked example

One question of the kind this skill is tested with, worked all the way through: the reasoning, and what the wrong answers are there to catch.

Worked example: Where does the comma go?

Worked example: Sentence: "Under the wooden bridge a grey heron stood perfectly still.". Keep "Under the wooden bridge" together. Which option puts a comma after all these opening words?

  1. Under the wooden bridge, a grey heron stood perfectly still.
  2. Under the wooden bridge a grey heron, stood perfectly still.
  3. Under the wooden bridge a grey heron stood perfectly still.
  4. Under the wooden bridge a grey heron stood, perfectly still.

Answer: Under the wooden bridge, a grey heron stood perfectly still.

How you get there

"Under the wooden bridge" is an introduction: it sets the scene and it is not the thing doing the action. The main clause starts at "a grey heron", so the comma closes the introduction off right before it. The version with no comma at all is wrong because it never closes off "Under the wooden bridge", so the reader runs straight from the introduction into the main clause.

Why the other answers tempt

A comma always feels right wherever you would take a breath, and a long introduction offers several tempting places.

If they are stuck, say this

Read until the introduction stops and the sentence starts telling you who did what. The comma goes at exactly that point.

Now do it live in Punctuation Pilot

What this exercise is doing

Punctuation Pilot

Drop punctuation into the gaps, then press Read it! and watch what the reader does.

A comma after a fronted adverbial tells the reader where your introduction stops and the real sentence starts. But a comma dropped inside "eats shoots and leaves" splits the verb away from what it eats, and the panda stops being a herbivore. Punctuation is not decoration: it is instructions for the reader.

What to say if they get stuck

  1. A fronted adverbial ("After lunch") needs a comma to show where the introduction ends.
  2. Be very careful with commas inside "eats shoots and leaves" - press Read it! and watch the panda.
  3. You need exactly two marks: a comma after "lunch" and a full stop right at the end.

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Where punctuate a fronted adverbial sits in the 11+

The 11+ does not test these skills in isolation, and practising one in the wrong order wastes the practice. These are the skills the curriculum map connects this one to.

Secure this first

Mark a sentence boundary

Separating a fronted adverbial presumes the main clause boundary is already secure.

Sits alongside

Punctuate direct address

Both use a comma to fence off material from the main clause, but the material differs.

Related english skills

All english 11+ skills

Questions parents ask about punctuate a fronted adverbial

What this skill involves, common mistakes and ways to practise it at home.

Place the comma that separates a fronted adverbial from its main clause. It is one of 41 named English skills in the 11+, in the punctuation strand, and this page carries 1 interactive exercise that practises it.

Punctuate a fronted adverbial rests on something else being secure first

This skill depends on mark a sentence boundary. A free diagnostic checks those alongside every other english skill, so you find out whether the problem is here or underneath it.

Sign Up & Start LearningStart the free 11+ diagnostic